Machine and plant for casting and cooling tubular stereotype printing plates



, 1,521,849 A. MACHINE AND PLANT FOR CASTING AND COOLING TUBULAR H. w. WOOD STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Filed April 19,

Jan. 6, 1925 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 aire 700E @151 his tlmm lllllllll k Jan. 1925. 1,521,849

' H. A. W-WOOD' MACHINE AND PLANT FOR CASTING AND COOLING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Filed April 19, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i: Z4 26' 16 III: .iiijfjjjM Z5 Z0 f 25 I? r: 23 T 7 4 i0 g4 j 'I 25" Jan. 1925! H 9 0 a v U. 7 7 I I- I1 I a 4 1 m u m v 7 V// 5 L W N 0 WH WHJ Filed April 19, 1921 STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES MACHINE AND PLANT FOR CASTING AND COOLING TUBULAR Jan, 6, 1925. H. A. W WOOD MACHINE AND ELA-NT FOR CASTING AND COOLING TUBULAR STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Filed April 19, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 6, 1925.

H. A. W WOOD wwm Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,521,849 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. wrsn woon,- or new YORK, N. Y., AssIG1\Ton TO WOO'D NEWSPAPER MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

MACI-IIN E AND PLANT FOR CASTING AND COOLING TUBULAR STEREO'TYPE PRINTING PLATES.

Application filed April 19, 1921. Serial No. 462,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. WVISE 001), a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine and Plant for Casting and Cooling Tubular Stereotype Printing Plates, of which the fo1lowing isaspecification.

This invention relates to the production of tubular stereotype-printing plates, namely, plates which constitute practically a complete circle as distinguished from the ordinary semi-cylindrical plates. These plates substantially cover-the entire cylinder of a press and are formed originally in their complete cylindrical condition. They are removed fromthe mold by turn ing the core which is provided with a helical groove forming a corresponding helical rib on the inside of the plate.

The principal objects of this. invention are to provide an improved arrangement whereby a' pair of tubular plate casting machines can be supplied from one source of metal supply andwill deliver convenient ly to a single cooler which takes care, of the product of both machines; to provide this cooler in such form that it will not only receive the plates from two casting machines alternately but will deliver them to a single finishing machine; to provide in'iproved means for operating tllflOOl'Q for the purpose of rejecting the casting; to proride for the casting of continuous ribs on the plate extending across the gap which is to be provided, and means for auton'iati-. cally cutting off these ribs across the gap to provide simple and convenient -means for holding the casting. box either in its vertical position for receiving or in its horizontal position for delivering; to provide improvements in the mechanism for operating the core and cooling it; and to provide improvements in the cooling mecha'-. nism itself. Y

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear herein-after.

Reference is to be .had to the accompany ing drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of a casting plant carrying out the above mentioned Objects;

Fig. 2 is a plan on a largerscale of one of the casting boxes and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same in horizontal position; I

Fig. a ma side view of part of the box in horizontal position with the supporting shaft in section to illustrate the cam for operating the clutch for startingthe gore; g

Fig. 5 is a side view onan enlarged scale, and partly in central section, ofthe casting box in upright position ready for pouring; Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged sectional View of the bottom of themold cavity;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the plate cast therein showing the ribs across the Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the device for cutting off the ribs; I

Fig. 9 is a transversesectional view of the casting box on the line 9-9 of 2 showing the cooling chambers;

Fig. 10 is a View of the delivery end of the casting box;

I Fig. 11 is a longitudinal central section of the-lowerend of the casting box showing the water circulating system;

Fig. 12 is atransverse sectional view on the line 12.12 of Fig. 11; p

Fig. 13'is a transverse sectional view of the casting box on a small scale showing it open;

Fig. ltsis a sectional elevation of the cooler, and.- I

Fig. -1-5'is a cross-section of the same on the line 15'15 in Fig. 14;.

I have shown :the invent-ion in a form in which a single melting furnace or pot 10' is provided with a, spout 11 adapted to turn to two positions, substantially at right angles to each other with respect to the circular pot orfurnace 10. It delivers to two casting boxes located with their axes at 90 apart around the circumference of the furnace or pot. These casting boxes therefore are arranged in suchposition, as shown in Fig. 1 that their central lines converge to a point of delivery as will appear later. I

Each of the casting boxes 15 is mounted ona frame 13 which is provided with two bearings for trunnions 14 projecting from the sides of the box,15. The box is provided with longitudinal pivots 16 and with a cover 17 which is adapted to be opened as shown in Fig. 13 for the insertion of the matrix- M. This cover is secured to the bottom of the box by a pivoted lever 18 engaging a pin 19.

The casting chamber consists of the cavity between the two parts and 17 of the casting box and a core C of full cylindrical fo'ri'n rotatably mounted there in and provided with a continuous helical groove 0 on its surface. The usual matrix M and head ring H are provided and also the pouring sheet S at the outer end of the bozi. The straight edges of the matrix are held in slits along the sides of the margin barB which extends all the way across the' ni'old cavity and throughout its length. The'box being closed and in condition for casting, it can be turned from the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1, 2' and 3 into the Vertical position shown; in Fig; 5 and illustrated also in dotted lines in' Fig. 1. 'T his is the casting. posit-ion.

Fixedly mounted with respect to the frame 13 on each' side is cam 23 havi'l'ig two surfaces on which a roller 21' is adapted to rest. This roller is mounted on a pivoted arm 22; and held against the cam by a spring 27. T he cam 23 beingstationary, it will be understood that upon the rotation of the box from horizontal to Vertical position the relation of the cam to the roller 21 will change from that shown in Fig. l, where the box is horizontal, to that shown in' Fig. 5 where it is Vertical.

Pivoted' to the arm 22 is a link and these parts are duplicated on" the two sides of the machine. These links have perforated ends 25 which receive the ends of a pair of studs 26 projectingthrough. slots 28 in the end cap 30 of the mold. Tl'iese studs 26 are bolted to projections on a clutch ring- 31 which is slidably mounted on a hub I-KQ'inside' theend cap. This hub isrotatably mounted on a cylinder 33 which constitutes the end of the core C in the mold. The clutch ring is provided with a parrot long-i ludina'l pins each extending throughslots in aloose gea'r36.

. The: springs 27 normally force the clutch ring 31 and the pins 35 to the left in Fig. 11. The ends of these pins bear on the flat surface of a circular plate 38 which is bolted to the end plate 39 of'the' mold proper and which in turn is bolted to the cap 30. On the end of this cap is a hollow plate 40, the end or whichis sealed by a packing. These parts 38, 39, and 30 constitute a single element, therefore, containing a chamber and receiving some of the mechanism abo'ye described. I i

The face of the plate 38 is proyided with two'de-pressio'ns or notches $1 for receiving the'p'ins 35. Obviously if the gear 36' is rotated when the arms 22 are swung over into. the left hand position. that is, when the moldis horizontal, tl'i'ese pins 35 will spring intoith'e notches 4'1 and take up the structure 38, 39 41:0 and 30 and rotate it. Furthermore, the plate 38 is keyed to the cylinder 33 and therefore the core will rotate with it. The mold 15, however, is not a part of the rotary mechanism.

It may be stated atthispoint that the operating mechanism is driven by a sprocket chain &2 or any other desired device acting on a sprocket Wheel 43 which is fixed to a sprocket wheel t l, the two of which are freely rotatable on one. of the trunnio'ns 14E. From the sprocket wheel 44 a chain lo drivesa sprocket wheel 46 on the end of a shaft &7. on this shaft 47 there is'a worm e8 meshing with the worm wheel 36 and driving it constantly. i As these palts rotate around thetrui'in'ions 14 as a center this rotation can be kept up at all times if desired while" the casting is being made, or it can be controlled to start it when desired. In either event the wormwhe'el 36 rotates idly until the pins 35 en-- gage in the notches 41 and then the core wi'll be rotated.

The helical groove extends around andalong the core and a continuous helical rib therefore, is produced' on the casting. The result of this rotation of the core, while the outside of the casting box is held stationary, is to force the core in a rectilinear direction out of the end of the box. Although the margin ba'r' B provides a longitudinal marginal openii 'g throughout the length of the pla te l the helical grooves on the core are contii iuous and they cause connecting ribs R to be east on the plate P projecting across the; margin gap or opening. Therib's therefore; are continuous. As the plate P is moved forward these ribs are cut off byaknife 50isecure'd to the bracket 51 which is attached to the outside of the box and constitutes a support and bearing for the upper and outer end of the core.

I It was stated above that the two casting boxes were located in position so that their lines of delivery convergetoward'each other. The point at which these lines meet is located at the center of a stand on which is-rotatablyf mounted a support 56 having; at. each end a narrow upi'vard projection These projections support bearings at the top forth-e studs 58 oil? a plate cooling support. Through one of these studs passes a pipe 59' for supplying water to the interror of the plate, said pipe being per-ta rated for that purpose. A pair ol'circullm' ends 60 are mounted on the studs 58'. Wha (1 may be termed a coolingcl'iamber is forined on these ends and the ca'st plate l wl'i-eu located in position and supported by them. The two projections 57 are narrow en'ou'uh to be received the-margin opening or gap. inflth-e plate as indicated in Fig. 15.

This support 56, beiiigswiye'led on a tertical axis at the point of intersection of the two central lines of the two casting boxes, the whole device can be turned fro-m central full line position shown in Fig. 2 to either one of the dotted line positions. It is held in either of those positions by stops 61, preventing its going further around than the exact position in which it is in alignment with a casting box. This cooling device is therefore in the form of a skeleton saddle for receiving the plate, the plate it self constituting the outer wall of the saddle and receiving the spray from the pipe 59. Inside this saddle there is a central dividing plate 62 for directing the overflow down through the opening in the bottom of the saddle formed by the margin o-pening'in the plate P. This water collects in the bottom of the support 56 and runs down through a central opening 63 into the hollow column 55 and is drained from that through a drain pipe 64..

The cooler can be turned from either of its dotted line positions, in which it is to receive the plate, to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 for delivering the plate directly and in a straight line to the finishing machine 70. The finishing machine may be of any type and the details of it are not shown herein.

In the casting of the plate, starting with the box in horizontal position, the hinged cover 17 of the casting box is thrown open as shown in Fig. 13 and the matrix placed in position against the head ring It is bent circumferentially and its straight edges engage the margin bar 13 which extends throughout the length of the casting chamber. The pouring sheet S is then put in place overlapping the circular end of the matrix. The hinged cover 17 is closed and locked in position by the lever 18 and then the box is swung up into vertical position. Metal is then poured into the box from the furnace through the spout. Cooling fluid is immediately introduced into the core or box, or both, through flexible connections at the end of the cap.

N ow the box, having the cast plate therein. is swung down into horizontal position and .cooling fluid is introduced through flexible connections 75 and sprayed on the inside of the core as desired. It is drained off through the opening in the end of the core to the chamber in the end cap and out through the drain pipe 7 6 as usual. Power is turned on in any desired way so that the chains 42- and will be started. This rotates the wheel 36. lVhen the box has reached horizontal position the rollers 21 on the two sides fall into recesses on the cam 23. The springs 27 swing the arms 22 over to the left and bring with them the clutch ring 31 which holds the pins 35 yieldingly against the surface of the plate 38.

As soon as the pins 35 come into registration with the notches 41 the sprlngs 27 force these pins into the notches and thereafter thecap end of the mold and core C are rotated positively by the chains.

On account of the helical grooves in the core and the fact that the plate is held firmly by the margin bar 13, the rotation of, the core will start the plate out of the box longitudinally with the matrix thereon. During this motion of the plate forward the ribs are cut through the margin by the knife as stated.

The cooling stand, meantime, has been swung around against one of its stops so that it is in alignment with the casting box and the plate is discharged directly from the casting box into the cooler and, with the attendants help, finally reaches the position thereon shown in Fig. 14:. water is turned on through the pipe 59 and the cooling of the plate completed while a casting is being produced in the other casting box. When the. plate is cooled, the cooler is turned to the full line position and the plate moved out of it by hand into the finishing machine 70.

This provides an arrangement by which two casting boxes can be kept going constantly, one of them delivering a cast plate while the other is made ready to receivethe molten metal. cooling device and finishing machine can be operated to take care of the product of two casting machines of this type. It involves no hand labor other than that which would be required for operating a single cooling mechanism and eventually doubles the product of a. unit of labor. The cost of machinery is reduced because only one cooler and one finishing machine is required for a. double product. No claim is made herein to the casting box by itself. The right is reserved to present claims on that in a divisional application.

Although I have described and illustrated only a single form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction or the relative arrangement of parts therein shown and described but what I do claim is:--

1. In a stereotype plate casting plant, the combination with a source of! supply of molten metal, a cooling stand, and a finishing machine all arranged substantially in alignment, of a pair of casting machines located with their axes at an angle to each other and adapted to receive metal from different sides of said source of metal supply, said cooling stand bein arranged to receive a cast plate directly from either of The It is well lmown that one the casting device and deliver it to the finish'ingmachine. r I

2. In a stereotype plate'casting plant, the combination of asourceoif supply of molten metal, a cooling sta'ndfa'nd a finishing Inachine arranged in alignment, with apair of casting machines located with their axes substantially at right ai'i-glesto each other and adapted to receivefuietal from different sides of said source of metal supply, said coo-ling stand being movable to three positions, in -t'wo'of which it is located and adapted to receive a cast plate directly from one of the castingde'ViCes and in the third position it is located todeliver to the finishing machine in line therewith.- I

3.1T} a plant for making stereotype pi" ting plates, the combination of two casting machines, a molten metal supply device, and a cooling stand, said cooling stand being adapted 'to turn to two positions in each of which it is in alignment with one of the casting device's. p

4:. In a plant for making stereotype print ing plates, the combination of two casting niacl'iines, niolten metal supply device, and a cooling stand arranged substantially i'n the form of a square, said cooling stand being adapted to turn to two positio nsgsubstant'iaill'y at right angles 'to each other in each or which is in alignment with one or the casting device's,

In a stereotype plate casting device, the combination of two casting machines arranged aft-lan angle to each other in position to deliver at substantially the same point, and a pivotal cooling stand located at said and adapted to be turned to two po ions in each oi which it is in alignment with one or the casting devices.

-6; In a stereotype plate 'castingfdevice, thecrmibina tion of twofica sting machines arranged an angle to each other in position to deliver at substantially the same point, each of said casting machi'nes, comprising a cylindrical mold mounted to swing on a horizontal axis from a vertical position for receiving molten metal to a horizontal position for delivering toward said point, and a pivotal cooling stand located at said point and adapted to be turned to two positions in each of whichit is in alignment with one of the casting devices when in horizontal position.

7. In a casting device, the combination with a tubular casting box, of a cylindrical core rotatably mounted therein and having a continuous helical groove on its castingsurface, a matrix bar extending longitudina'llly along the core from the surface of said core to the inner surface of the box, whereby a continuous helical rib is cast on the plate inside and across the space occupied by 'the matrix bar, co'ntinuations of said rib being cast spaced from each other and with their inner surfaces against the matrix bar, means for turning said core to eject the plate in arectilinear direction, and a stationary cutter on the box forengaging and cutting ofl' the ribs across said space as the plate is withdrawn. 8. Ina casting device, the combination with casting box adapted to cast a cylind'rical plate with a'longitudinal gap and deliver it in a horizontalposition, of a cooltug-[stand having narrow arms projecting upwardly from its opposite ends for receiving the in the plate, said stand being adapted to be turned into longitudinal alignment with the casting box and having means for supporting the cast plate to be cooled and provided with a water pipe inside having openings for spraying water on the ihtei'jor of the plate while it is held by said means.

9'. In a cooling device for a cast cylindrical plate, the combination of a pair of circular end plates on which the plate to be cooled can be mounted, a pipe extending longitudinally between them having perforations to permit of spraying water on the inside of the plate, said cooling device havinga chamber for receiving the water thQI Q fIOHI and provided with an outlet drain and having a pivotal support by wliich it can turl'i on a vertical axis concentric with said drain.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afli'xed m signature,

HENRY A. WISE IVOOD. 

